Discussion Ethics: Information Privacy

Information Privacy

Does information's availability justify its use?

Governments collect massive amounts of data on individuals and organizations and use it for a varjely of purposes: national security, accurate tax collection, demographics, international geopolitical strategic analysis, etc. Corporations do the same for commercial reasons; to increase business. control expense, enhance profitability, gain market share, etc. Technological advances in both hardware and software have significantly chariged the scope of what can be amassed and processed. Massive quantities of data, measured in petabyles and beyond, can be centrally stored and retrieved effortiessily and quickly, Seemingly disparate sources of data can be cross$-$referenced to glean new mearings whien one set of data is viewed within the context of another.

Share with the class your answers to some of the following questions in your discussion

Should organizations' ability to collect and process data on exponentially increasing scales be limited in any way?

Does the fact that information can be architected for a particular purpose mean it should be$,$ even if by so doing individual privacy rights are poiertialiy violated?